Type-writing machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. C. TOWLE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 466,270. `Imemed Deo. 29, 189.1.

Ww ME 55E-5- .The nomme Penas co., nvm-um (No Model.) 4sheets-sheet 2.G. .C. TOWLE.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No.` 466.270. Patented Deo. 29,1891.

vus mms swans co.. Pmmruma., wnsummjou. n. c.

(No Model'.) 4 sheets-sheet G. 0,. TOWLE. v TYPEUWRITING MACHINE..

No. 466,270. Patented Dec. 29, 189.1.-

` Inh/@JT DR- Iii! l- 25T- (12- v (No Modl.) 4 sheets-sheet 4.

G. T-OWLIB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

N0.466,270. l Patentedne. 29,1891.

I ffl i w g UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.V

GEORGE C. TOWLE, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE POPEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE. y

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,270, dated December29, 1891.

Application filed .Tune 24, 1889. lSerial No. 315.1103. (No model.)

chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Type-Writing Machines, ofwhich the following description, in connect-ion with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification,like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

My invention, relating to type-writing machines, is intended as animprovement on machines of that class in which a flexible typeplate ismovable on a carriage or support to bring any desired one of thecharacters upon it to' the point where the imprint is to be made, whenan impression-plunger acts upon the type, which has thus been positionedto depress it with relation to the rest of the typeplate against thesurface vof the paper to be printed on, which is supported below.

In the machine represented for the purpose of illustrating thisinvention the carriage on which the type-plate and impression devicesare supported is fed over the surface of the paper after each imprintfor the purpose of ent invention, as the paper-platen and paper `mightbe fed below the type-plate for the line of printing, if preferred.v Inonetype of machines of this class as heretofore madeA the type-plate hasbeen supported on a plate which was both movable along the paper to makethe line of printing, and was also movable toward and-from the paper tomake each imprint, the entire plate having a slight movement toward andfrom the paper, and the character to be printed being moved beyond theface of the rest of the type, so that it alone reachedand made itsimpression upon acter at the printing-point to reach the paper--areperformed by one hand of the operator while the other hand ispractically unocvcupied; and one of the objects of the present invention,is to divide the work between the two hands of the operator, who willthus use one hand to position the type-plate and the other to make theimpression, thus enabling the speed of operation to be increased and thefatigue of operating the machine to be greatly diminished.

The invention relates, especially, to the construction of the type-plateand means operated by one hand of the operator yfor guiding itin itsmovement to bring each type, as required, to the printing-point, and tothe construction of the device operated by the other hand for making theimpression and effecting the feed movements of the type relative to thepaper, and to other features of construction, which will be hereinafterpointed out.

Figure l is a plan View of a type-writing. machine embodying thisinvention Fig. 2,'a transverse vertical section thereof on a largerscale; Fig. 3, a sectional detail of some of the parts represented inFig. 2 on a larger scale; Fig. 4t, a plan view of the type-plate and thearm that carries it in its movement for positioning the4 type; Fig. 5, atransverse section of the same on line @c Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a plan view ofthe carriage on which the feed and printing mechanism are supported;Fig. 7, an end elevation thereof, and Fig. S a plan view of the carriagerepresented in Fig. 6 with some of the upper parts removed to show theparts beneath.

The main frame-work a, on which the operativeparts are supported, may beoftu'su axis to afford access to the paper-supporting device below, thesaid printing-carriage c normallyresting on a track or ledge a2 at thefront of the frame a while the machine is construction, the saidframe-Work beingstal'l IOO operating, as best shown in Fig. 2, andtraveling longitudinally of the frame upon the rack l) and track a asguides. The said carriage c is made substantially like a hollow boxhaving a bottom plate c2, provided with a printing-opening c3, throughwhich the type may be forced down upon the paper P below said opening,as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the said type being shown in thisinstance as formed on or connected with a flexible plate or diaphragm d,connected around its edges with a rigid frame d2, as best shown in Fig.4. The said bottom plate of the carriage thus forms a partitioninterposed between the type above and the paper below to prevent alltype except the one directly over the said printingopening from touchingthe paper. The said type-plate and its supporting-frame d2arcsector-shaped, and the type are arranged in two or more curved linesupon said diaphragm, being in this instance represented as in two suchcurved lines, one of which preferably contains the lower-case letters,convenientlyarranged, and the other the upper-case letters, and theremaining. characters that it may be desired toprintbeing added to oneor both of said lines, as mostcdnvenient. The frame d2 is connected withan arm or shank e, movable in a guide e2, pivoted at @Eupen the carriagec, the said shank e having a sliding or telescopic movement in theguideeas willbe understood from Figs. 4 and, andthe-entire device havinga pivotal movement around the point e3. The sliding movement of theshank e is shown as limited by a spring-'stop e14 engaging recesses 615in said arm and so arranged that when said stop is in engagement withloneof said recesses a corresponding line of type on the type-plate d isconcentricwith the pivot e3 and at the same distance therefrom as theprinting-opening c3 in the `carriage, `so that by swinging the saidframe around the pivot e3 any desired one ot' the said curved line oftype maybe brought over the said opening c3,whichis only large enough topermitone type at a time to pass through or intofit. The stop e isyielding, so that by slightpressure lengthwise of the shank e in thedesired direction the said arm may be mved in its guide e2 to shift thetype-plate soas to bring the other line of type over theprinting-opening c3. If only asingledi'ne of typewer'e used, thetype-plate shank might `itself be pivoted direct-ly on Athe carri-age.yBoth the sliding movement of thetype-plate shank e in its guide c2 andthe oscillating movement of said type-plate about the pivot eS areproduced by a handle et, shownas pivoted at e5 upon an upright orbracket e, rigidly connected with the said shank e. The saidhandle e4extends forward over the top of the'plate c4 of the printing-carriage,which top plate is provided with a stationaryindexplate f, (see Figs. 1and 6,) having characters marked upon it corresponding to the characterson thetypeplate and so arranged that when the arm or handle e4, thataccompanies the type-plate in its movement on the carriage, is oppositea given character on the said index-plate the corresponding character onthe type-plate is over the printing-opening c3, and hence I designatethe said arm or handle e4 a finden Thus the operator manipulating j thehandle e4 can by pulling it forward or backward bring any desired row oftype in line with the said opening, and then by swinging the said handlemay bring the desired one of the type in said row over the saidprinting-opening,these movements being performed by one hand and beingboth compounded or performed simultaneously, it' required,and it ismerely necessary to approximately position the type-plate in theswinging movement, as the final accurate positioning is made in the actof making the imprint, these operations being performed bythe followingmechanism: The `type-plate frame d2 or its shank elias rigdlyconnected`with it a positioning-bar g, having on its upperisurface notchescorresponding in angular position relative to the pivot e3 to thediiferent type of each line of type, the said notches being inclined orV-shaped.

The imprint is madeby a swinging frame or plate h, (best shown in Fig.8,) hinged upon the rack-bar l) and extending forward over thetype-plate and then laterally outward to a point preferably near thefront left-hand endof the printingcarriage c, where it is provided witha handle or linger-piece h2 to be engaged by the hand of "the operator,the said handle being so located that it can be conveniently manipulatedbythe left hand of theoperatcr while the right handis occupied in movingthehandlee4ortypefinder, as it maybe called. Thesaid frame hispro videdwith a stud or projection h3 directly over the printing-opening c3 inthe betteln of the carriage, and is also provided with a wedge-shapedtooth or projection h4 directly over the notched positioning-bar g. Thesaid impression-traine hhas no movement relative to the carriage@,except a slight pivotal rocking movement on therack-barb, which forcesthestud h3 down upon the back of thetypeplate d, so as to press that'oneof 'the type which is above said opening down through said opening andagainst the surfaceof the paper below,`the bottoni plate c2 ot' thecarriage preventing any butthe one type which is overits opening c3 fromreaching the paper. The projection h4 enters between adjacent teethinthe positicningbar g, and owing to the inclination of said teeth willbring it and the connected type-plate to exact position as theimpression-plate descends and before the type is forced into actualContact with-the paper, so that it is merely necessary to position thetype-plate by the finder etnear enough to cause the projection h4 toenter the proper notch, or, in other words, tobring the said device e4nearer to the character on the IOO IOS

IIO

index-plate that it is intended to print than to the character at eitherside of it.V The impression-frame h is raised after the imprint is madeby a spring h5. (See Figs. 2 and 8.)

The invention is shown in this instance as applied to a machine in whichthe carriage c, supporting the printing mechanism, feeds longitudinallywith relation to the paper-support below for the purpose of making thesuccessive imprints in a line on the said paper, `the said feed beingeffected by the following mechanism, (see Figs. 7 and 8:) The carriage chas supported upon it a -gear t', meshing withI the rack b and actedupon by a spring 122, (see Fig. 2,) tending to rotate it in thedirection of the arrow upon it, thus tending to cause it to roll alongthe stationary rack-bar and in such movement-to cause the carriage c totravel lengthwise of said rackbar. Such longitudinal movement of thecarriage is, however, resisted and controlled by escapement devices thatpermit it to move a space equal to that between two or three consecutiveteeth or projections of said rack-bar, as preferred, the said escapementmechanism being best shown lin Figs. 6 and 7. A lever 70 is pivoted at702 on the side of the carriage c, one end of said lever extending outbeneath the rack b and being normally held in such position as not toenter between the teeth or projections of the rack. When, however-,theforward end 703 of the lever 'is depressed, the

' rear end enters between two teeth of the rack and prevents movement ofthe carriage. The said lever also has pivotally connected with it at 704a short arm 705, that extends over the upper side of the rack b and hasa spring portion 705- tending to cause the end 705v to spring away fromthe carriage c in the same direction that the carriage tends to moveunder the action of the spring @fand gear t'. The arm 705 vibrates withthe lever on its-pivot 702 and is so shapedthat when the end of thelever 70 below the raekis in its lower-most position and out'ofengagement with the rackteethA the arm 705 is in engagement with therack-teeth and thus. restrains the carriage from movement along therack-bar. When, however, the forward end of the lever70 is depressedandthe rear end rises into engagement with the rack-bar, so as to holdthe carriage, the arm 705'is liftedout of engagement with the rack-bar,and, owing to its spring portion 706, its end over the rack-bar springsout from thecarriage, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 8, passing .overone or two teeth of the rack-bar, as the case maybe, and when theforward end of the lever 703is again raised the arm 705 drops into thelspace over which it- -is then stan-ding, and the lever 70 disengages therack, so that the; carriage is 'permitted to move l until brought upbythe arm 705 in its new position, the spring i2, that moves thecarriage, being stronger than the spring 706, that throws the arm 705.The lateral or Vswinging movement of the army is limited-by anadjustable stop .A

707, which permits it to move over one or two teeth of the'rack b,accordingas a shorter or longer feed of the carriage is required. Thearm 705 may be turned on its pivot 704 on the Vlever 70 by means of ahandle 708, so as to disengage the said arm 705 from the feed-rack b,while the lever 70 is also disengaged from it, thus permitting thecarriage to be moved in either direction and any desired distance alongthe said feed-rack.

The feed mechanism thus far described is substantially the same as hasbeen used in machines of this class heretofore, and the presentinvention, so far as relates to the feed mechanism, consists in thedevices that move the lever 70 up and down on its pivot 702 to controlthe feed movements of the carriage, as just described. The forward end,703. of the lever is engaged by an arm m of a rock-shaft m2, having asecond arm or projection m5 in the proper position to be engaged by theimpression-frame 71, when depressed with relation to the carriage tomake an imprint, as before described, such depression of the said frameh by its handle 712 turning therockshaft m2 and thus operating the lever70 to effeet a feed' movement, as has just beendescribed, the said feedtaking place inthe rise of the lever 70 and impression-frame 71, after'each imprint has been made, so that the successive imprints are placedside by side or in a line with one another on the paper.

. When it is desired to make a feed movement without the correspondingimprint-as, for example, at the end of a word-the lever 70 must be movedindependently of the impression-plate 7L, and for this purpose therock-shaft m2 is provided with anv arm m4, suitably made to form ahandle or fingerpiece that is located nearthe handle 7a2 of theimpression-plate, so that both `handles can be readily operated by twofingers of the left hand of the operator. The inking of the face of thetype is shown in this instance as effected by a pad n, supported onthebottom vplate c2 of the carriage and around the print- IOO lIO

the purpose of applying fresh ink thereto by swinging the type-plate toits extremeposition, first at one side and then at thev other, and theends of the carriage c are open Ato permit the end of the type-plate andits frame cl2 and positioning-bar g to pass outer beyond the sides `ofthe carriage in the oscillating movement of the type-plate. Y

The top plate c4 of the carriage is hinged to the bottom plate near thefront ofthe vmachine, as shown at c5, so that said top plate may -beraised to aord access to the printingpad or to the type-plate andconnected parts, the handle e4 for'moving,thetype-pl-ate being turnedback on its pivot e5 to permit the top` plate c and printing-franie h tobe raised on their respective hinges.

The paper to be printed upon may be supported and moved for theline-to-line feed in any suitable or usual manner. As herein shown, itpasses over the surface of a feed-roll o, journaled at its ends in themain frame a and provided with a handle o2 (see Fig. 1) for turning itto feed the paper forward and also with a ratcheting-dog operated by thehandle o3 to turn it step by step the proper distance for the spacebetween two lines on the paper, such device being substantially the sameas in machines of this class heretofore made, and

for this reason not requirin g to be specifically described herein.

The paper is held in contact with the feedroll by a plate p, supportedon a rock-shaft p2 therefor in the main frame a and acted upon by aspring tending to force said plate against the paper that lies betweenit and the roll, as shown in Fig. 2. The said rock-shaft is providedwith aspring-armp4 and handle p5 at the frontof the machine, by whichthe plate p may bepulled away from the surface of the roll o tofacilitate the introduction ot' the paper. The paper extends forwardfrom the periphery of the feed-roll o at the termination of the plate p`over a platen r, which supports it along the line where the successiveimprints are made, the surface of said `platen being beneath theprinting-opening c3 in `the printing-carriage The edge of the plate p isgraduated, so as to correspond to the successive imprints of acontinuous line of printing, as shown in Fig. 1, and acorrespondingly-graduated bar t is provided at the rear of the mainframe a, co-operating witha pointer t2 on the printing-carriage c, (seeFig. 1,) the said scales being arranged in the usual manner to indicatethe relation between the position of the carriage and the printing-pointon the paper. The graduated bar or scale t supports the bell thatindicates the approach of the carriage near the end of the line ofprinting, the said `bell being operated in the usual manner and the saidbarbeing provided with adjustable stops t4 5,that limit the movement ofthe carriage along the paper in the usual manner.

The machine maybe conveniently operated by the operator facing themachine and moving the type-selector e4 with the right hand and theimpression and spacing keys or handles h2 m4 by two lingers of the lefthand, operating the space-key m3 alone when a feed movement is to bemade without a corresponding imprint, as at the end of a word.

The operations of introducing the paper and setting the paper-carriageat the proper position for beginning a line of printing aresubstantially the same as in prior machines of this class.

It is obvious that the various details of construction of themachine'might be widely varied without departing from the invention,

which relates, mainly, to the type-plate and devices for moving it tobring `the diderent type to the printing-point and for then making theimpression and causing the feed of the type relative to the paper, and,so far as these features are concerned, the paper might be fed alongbeneath the type instead of having the type fed over the paper.

I claim- 1. In a type-writing machine,the combination, with the mainframe, a rack therein, and paper-feed mechanism, of acarriage made as abox and pivoted to and ylongitudinally movable on the rack, atype-plate, its supporting-frame, a guide therefor pivoted in thecarriage and movable with it, a finder, as e4, connected with the guide,and an iinpression-frame pivoted to therack within the car-y riage andmoving withiit and having a fingerpiece extended laterally beyondthetcarriage, substantially as described.

2. In a typewriting1machine, the combination, with the `main frame, arack therein,

`and a paper-feed mechanism, of a carriage, a

type-plate, a shank connected with said typeplate, a telescopic guidepivoted to the can riage and receiving the shank, a locking deviceorstopfor the shank and guide, and a iinder, as e4,pivotally connected tothe shank and serving to move and adjust the typeplate, substantially asdescribed. 1

3. In' a type-writing machine, the main frame, a rack therein, apaper-feed `mechanism, and a carriage pivoted to and movablelongitudinally on said rack and made as a box with open sides, a topplate, an `indexplate thereon, and a bottom plate separating the typefrom the paperand having an opening to permit the passage of a singletype combined with a type-plate pivoted to the bottom plate ofsaidcarriage, ander, as e", secured to said type-plate and projecting upout of the carriage and over the index-plate, and an impression-platepivoted to the rack "within the carriage and having its handle extendedlaterally beyond the carriage, substantially as described.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a main frame,a racktherein, and a paper-feed mechanism, of a carriage pivoted to andmovable longitudinally 011 the rack, a typeplate and means to pivot itwithin the carriage, a dentated positioning-bar `carried by saidtype-plate, and a pivoted impression frame constructed with a projectionto act upon the type and also with a projection to engage the teeth ofthe positioning-bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a main frame, a racktherein, paperfeed mechanism, a type-carriage, a carriagepropellingmechanism, an impression-frame having a laterally-extended finger-piece,and a carriage-feedin g mechanism or escapement consisting of a leveradapted to engage the rack, an elastic arm connected to said lever andvibrating with it, and amok-shaft having In testimony whereof I havesigned my one end in engagement With said lever and name to thisspecification in the presence of having an arm adapted to be engaged bythe two subscribing Witnesses. Y finger-piece of the impressioirframeand also 5 having a finger-piece of its own for` operation XVitnesses;

independently of the impression-frame, sub- JOS.'P. LIVERMORE,stantially as described. JAS. J. MALQNEY.

' GEORGE C. TOWLEY

